1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inkjet-type image-forming device, and particularly to an image-forming device configured to supply ink from ink cartridges to a recording head via ink supply tubes, where the ink cartridges are arranged at stationary positions in a main casing of the image-forming device and the recording head travels in a reciprocating motion. The present invention also relates to such an image-forming device having a flat, compact main casing.
2. Related Art
Japanese unexamined patent application No. HEI-8-110660 discloses a compact multifunction-type image-forming device including a copier function, a facsimile function, and the like. In this image-forming device, a paper supply cassette is detachably mounted in a bottom section of a main casing through the front side thereof. A recording unit includes a carriage, which supports ink cartridges and a print head, disposed in the rear section of the main casing. The carriage is capable of reciprocating movement in a substantially horizontal direction orthogonal to a direction in which paper is conveyed (discharged). After an image is recorded on paper, the paper is discharged from the main casing through a discharge opening formed in the rear side of the main casing. A contact glass is provided on the top surface of the main casing. A scanning mechanism is disposed above the paper supply cassette and includes a reciprocating scanning sensor that moves parallel to the direction in which the carriage moves for scanning text and images of an original document placed facedown on the contact glass. Alternatively, an automatic feeder is provided for conveying sheets of the original document over the contact glass to be scanned.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,443 corresponding to Japanese Patent No. 3262356 discloses an image-forming device having a paper supply cassette that is detachably mounted in a bottom section of a main casing through a front side thereof and a recording unit including a reciprocating carriage, which supports ink cartridges and a print head. The carriage moves in a substantially horizontal direction orthogonal to a direction for conveying (discharging) paper. After an image has been recorded on paper, the paper is discharged diagonally upward via a discharge opening formed in the rear side of the main casing.
Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. HEI-7-251998 discloses an image-forming device having an original loading tray disposed on the top surface of a main casing and slanting downward toward the front of the same, and a scanning unit including contact sensors and the like disposed near the top front section in the main casing. A paper supply cassette is detachably mounted in a bottom section of the main casing through the front side thereof. A carriage, which supports ink cartridges and a print head, is disposed in the rear section of the main casing. The ink cartridges are arranged at a slant to the horizontal plane. In this image-forming device, paper is conveyed upward at a slant of less than 45 degrees to the vertical. A discharge tray is disposed on the rear end of the main casing and slants upward toward the rear.